The Trond Henrichsen Institute for International Affairs is a independent think-tank headquartered in Eggther, Kazulia. It mainly centres on providing an analysis of international events and strategic reports with the primary objective of providing an independent opinion on the analysis of political, economic and social issues. The institute publishes various publications relating to international affairs and a variety of spectrum.

The Brønnøysos Report - Focuses on analysing the relationship between international affairs and the foreign policy decisions of various nations.The Útlendr - Focuses on analysing defence and national security related publications.Andresen Focus - Focuses on analysing economics and business throughout the international spectrum.

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The Brønnøysos Report | Analysis and Intelligence.The World Congress: Doomed in its Infancy.A Trond Henrichsen Institute for International Affairs case study.by Storolfur Arthursson.

The idea of a conglomerate of nations has been bandied throughout terra for centuries upon end. From the early days of the Artanian Union and the Majatran Union, the idea of juxtaposing two or more islands for administrative convenience or for mere economic expediency, had appealed to various government but there had been minor unification in reality. What actually transpired was that appointed administrators, frequently shared power with a host of nations in the Artanian, Majatran, Maconian-Kerisian, Dovani regions, an amalgam known as the Artanian Union, the Majatran Union, the Macon-Kerisian Union, the Mikokuzin Union. These unions usually brought nations together under an umbrella principles, usually economic, militarism or political matters which were seen to need a joint approach. It soon became clear to the various governments that a conglomerate of nations fixed on the principle of promoting peace and maintaining global stability and secure was missing in the apparatus towards maintaining one's internal order. Although several attempts were formed, many if not all initially failed to bare results as nations often locked horns of certain issues. Thus the international community shelved any experiment to form a collection of all nations of terra under an umbrella organisation. There was not much rhetoric about a "united terra" until the period posterior to the Great Terran War, when it became clear to the members involved and observers respectively that another war of a similar calibre could possibly bring terra to its knees. Thus the World Congress was born.

World Congress: the Politics of Blunders and Failures.

The World Congress' initial blunder came in the form of its drive towards elections for the Security Council. Around the initial formation of the World Congress, elections for the acclaimed security council seats were opened and the flood gates of criticism, blackmail and insularity were also opened. The first Security Council election was not a battle between winning the hearts and minds of the voters, nor was it about championing a cause in which one believes in. Instead it became a battle of names-calling, slander, religious blasphemy and bigotry. Upon an analysis of the situation, the election period was considered a "circus" by local politicians who witness the vitreous nature of the various nations involved the campaigning process. This created the impetus for many nations wanting to abstain from voting with the World Congress, due to the dismal, disorientated, fear-mongering and insularity driven campaigns being run by nations such as Zardugal, Beitenyu, Hutori, Baltusia, Istalia and Jelbania.

In-fighting between S.C. members and G.A. members.

From the offset, petty political skirmishes were rampant among members of the General Assembly and the Security Council. For example, in the first session of the General Assembly, rampant skirmishes were initiated between the Ameliorate Historical Union floor leader Rev. Geert Verdonk, Giovanni Paolo Fulgi, Ambassador of the Istalian Republic to the World Congress and Baron Igor Sokolovskiy, the Trigunian Ambassador to the World Congress, over the church's support for the institution of slavery after Rev. Verdonk attempted to legitimise slavery as an institution rather than a system of oppression. This has been described as a debate which had no place within the World Congress as it soon altered from an argument over slavery into one of religion. This was the first horn of the demise of the World Congress. The Security Council, on the other hand, enjoyed a lengthy period of peace and cooperation, however this soon changed within the Aldegar-Baltusian Crisis. The Istalian and Kalistani representatives locked horns of the issue which resulted in the first intervention by General Secretary of the World Congress Phang Thi Hong who said: I must insist that order is restored to this chamber. Heated and continuous debate is inevitable in the General Assembly but in the Security Council, we must endeavour to retain some structure! It is my view that the positions of Kalistan and Istalia are irreconcilable. Istalia is convinced that Baltusia is blameless and Kalistan is convinced of the opposite. Let us work from that position to reach a productive outcome of some kind rather than attempt, fruitlessly to change the situation at the moment. This was a testimony that the Security Council will no longer be a place of political discussion and mature debate, but would instead be a place of petty skirmishes and grudge-driven discord.

Dual Representation

Despite all the political pettiness, the attitude of the political leaders toward the WC was quickly put to the test because the constitution of the WC provided that no person could serve in the legislature of one of the unit territory and in the S.C at the same time. Thus, before the first S.C. elections, politicians had to decide whether to stand for election to the S.C. or stay in local territorial politics. For many holders of national ministerial posts, moving from local to S.C. positions would have meant moving to a position of less responsibility and would have indeed signified an act of faith in the future of the World Congress. Whether or not some politicians showed some measure of affinity toward the World Congress, the overall political climate of the W.C, per se, prompted observers to cite "erratic and arbitrary actions of certain political leaders as contributing to the downfall of the WC."

Powers of the World Congress Security Council

On the question of the powers of the World Congress, several nations spared no pains in seeing that the world congress did not exercise any extraordinary powers which might encroach on its national sovereignty. Nations such as Pontesi, Beiteynu, Rildanor and Kanjor diametrically opposed to the proposals made in resolution 23, "These nations' pressure defeated a proposal to increase the powers of intervention of the World Congress under the guise that it encroached on their national sovereignty, a phrase used by many nationalist politicians today.

Threat to national sovereignty.

In addition, to safeguard its particular interest, several nations "demanded that the S.C. be revised so as to exclude the possibility of the World Congress to "steal its national sovereignty." For the sake of the other nations that might desire to establish closer relations with the W.C., Several nations launched a slander campaign against the organisation, championing the cause of nationalism and self-determination. These other nations were to be left free to have looser association with the WC and its associated branches and keep control over all matters which, in its view, they could take care of for themselves. Indeed, it can be concluded that certain nationalist driven nations were only preoccupied in looking after its own selfish interests and not the interests of the entire international community. Ellinor Ketelsen (deceased), former Statsminister and World Congress Ambassador surmised several nations' overall attitude toward political integration very succinctly as follows: "Several nations seem to want everything out of the World Congress and wants to give nothing to it and that's a plain fact. They want maximum representation that will put her in a position where they will virtually supplant the General Secretary. All it would mean is that order could cease to be and chaos would take over."

Why is the World Congress failing?

(1)"the Security Council is virtually powerless", (2) "The leadership was timid", (3) "There were differences between the leadership of the region (4) "There was reluctance on the part of the mainland territories to join the World Congress", (5) "The absence of a unifying force prompted by external danger and the want of a common struggle against a reluctant nationalist strain", (6) "Parochialism, which was grounded in generations of isolated history and the absence of a sense of a common identity and insular pride amounting to parochialism". (7) "Political in-fighting and skirmishes between members, (usually out of irrational and nonsensical situations)".

Conclusion

Against this backdrop, political leaders need to adhere to the belief that "international political unity is one major issue that must be kept by all those who can appreciate the importance of having the international community as one body to deal with the world at large in these modern times.

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Apart from "Why does the Istalian Republic exist?” one of the most significant yet unanswered questions is: "Why do people hate the Istalian Republic?" In previous instances it has been accentuated by political analysts and politicians (mainly within the Istalian Republic) that the various nations who champion anti-Istalian sentiments are either jealous of the nation’s socio-economic standing or the nations supposed diplomatic purity. However, it must be stated that said nations hate the Istalian republic due to its internal political views. People do not hate the Istalian Republic for championing its cause for an end to international oppression, nor do people hate the Istalian Republic for becoming involved in the Al'Badara internal debacle by refusing to leave the nation under the pretext of humanitarianism. The reason behind the condemnation of the Istalian Republic by certain nations is purely due to the nation's foreign policy and the nation's tactics in executing its foreign policy.

I do not hate the Istalian people, nor the nation itself to a certain extent. What i cannot take about the nation is the way it conducts itself especially towards other nations of varying political and ethical opinions.

A Hutorian national once said.

It is simple to categorically state the reasons for certain nations' revulsion of the Istalian Republic. Its heavy handed interventionism into instances within its immediate region and the wider international community is the paramount reason for hate towards the Istalian Republic. Apart from fuelling tensions, the heavy handed interventionism of the Istalian Republic is one of the many reasons for the rise of radical nationalism throughout the world and within the World Congress. Nations have recognised the fact that the Istalian Republic has become more interventionist with respect to matters which could be resolved on a local level, as such, the asymmetrical response to this is the strengthening of radical nationalist sentiments throughout the international community. This results in the creation of the perception that the Istalian Republic is gradually transitioning into the position of "self-proclaimed world police", policing and influencing the internal decisions of governments.

A famous and well-known example of this (used by the opponents of the Istalian Republic) is the nation's involvement in the debacle prior to the Al'Badaran Civil War. In which the Istalian Republic refused to withdraw humanitarian and military personnel from the nation under the pretext of "bring aid, energy, and eventually even diplomatic and security agreements to the country." Apart from this, the Istalian Republic's deep involvement in the World Congress can also be viewed as a contributing factor to its own scourge. It is thus important to highlight the events prior to the failing of World Congress Security Council Resolution 23. Nations such as Dorvik, Rildanor and Hutori voiced disagreement with the resolution citing that it was step too far with respect to expanding the powers of the Security Council. In the words of Rildanorian Foreign Minister Cyrille Rodier: "Hutori regards self-determination of the state to be our highest moral. What this resolution appears to be is entirely am excuse to meddle with the democracy of other nations under the guise of protecting against that very action." As a result of the supposedly "melodramatic stunt" by the Istalian Republic, as described by former Rildanorian Foreign Minister Cyrille Rodier, the international community spared no pains in seeing that the Istalian Republic be condemned and discredited for its attempts to push the resolution into passing.

As the nations championed with causes of egalitarianism, "peace" and democracy, specifically on issues of human rights, it has become a common ploy for nations to use the nation's promotion of the ideals as the impetus for their condemnation and subsequent hatred of the nation. In a typical demonic, imperialistic, supremacist, hegemonic and monocratic modus operandi, the republic pushes its umbrella objective through the lines of discord. The "heavy-handed, arrogance of supremacy" threat was conventionally issued to nations which did not "follow the party line" and champion the causes which the republic has championed since its "reconnaissance". Indeed, such a isolationist and big-stick foreign policy action on the part of "empire" Istalia represents a supremacy complex at their ethnocentric, etnocentric apogee.

Conclusion

People do not hate Istalia and Istalians respectively. They hate Istalia's policy toward them. As one person should and would eventually learn in communication is that the execution of communication is extremely key for it to be decoded and understood by the message's receiver. A nation could be wanting to champion its foreign policy ideas, however, apart from the contents of the policy, the execution is similarly important.

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Since its initial formation, the World Congress has not been spared criticism from international bodies including governments and their respective subordinate departments. The failures of the organisation to streamline common though and interests has created the perception that the organisation was doomed in its infancy. The unreliability of the organisation to form common decisions and the ineffectiveness of the organisation's diplomatic clout could be accentuated as contributing factor's to its deteriorating image as an international body purely and solely aimed at maintaining peace and common security throughout. Whereas the organisation should be viewed as an omnipresent force ready to institute peace and mutual friendship, it is viewed by the growing anti-world congress strain as an omnipresent force ready to institute heavy handedness and promote sentiments which "threaten the national sovereignty of nations". International scepticism and criticism of the World Congress is not a factor which has entered the political spectrum overnight. Instead it is a home grown blunder, fuelled by the irresponsible nature of certain nation-states.

The building blocks of World Congress scepticism were Istalian made.

The initial nail in the coffin of the credibility of the World Congress was hammered into place by the diplomatic discord which originated out of Istalia's heavy-handed response to the decision of the Voronan government to re-introduce slavery as the nation’s main source of revenue. The Istalian Republic’s decision to promote the implementation of a blockade of the nation created the impetus for international condemnation against the Istalian Republic with respect to its promotion of a blockade which could have been view of an informal declaration of war by the Vorona Government. This international condemnation resulted in the formation of an anti-Istalian bloc in the World Congress as the Istalian Republic, through its various representatives, responded to the condemnation by either highlighting the hypocritical nature of the various voices against the nation’s decisions or attempting to turn the table against said nations. This factor coupled with the nation’s continued involvement in the World Congress had created the foundation necessary for scepticism in the World Congress to foster as various nations speculated that the nation's aggressive attitude towards resolving issues could be repeated and possibly intensified.

Foreign Policy is a contributing factor in the development of World Congress scepticism.

A nation's image is determined by its foreign policy. As such one must understand that through it foreign policy a nation can determine where it stands on certain issues plaguing the international community and thus form the image which it wants to portray to the international community. For example: For more than five decades the Foreign Policy of the Trigunian Federation has been reactionary; meaning that within the nation there was a preference for the return of the status quo. Through this the international community (separate from the opinions of the political "pundits") had viewed the Trigunian Federation (Empire) as a nation longing to restore its former pride and prowess. With respect to the nation's foreign policy being a contributing factor towards the development of scepticism in the World Congress an example of this can be extracted from nations such as the Yeudish Republic of Beiteynu, who foreign policy has been viewed by the international community as favouring an isolationist, anti-globalist approach. These tendencies within the Yeudish Republic are stemmed from the nation's brutal treatment of minority groups and the international community's condemnation of the nation as the asymmetrical response. The Yeudish Republic's anti-globalist, isolationist tendencies coupled with the globalism being peddled by the World Congress and various nations including the Istalian Republic, Dorvik and Rildanor are the reason for the nation's anti-World Congress, anti-globalist foreign policy, thus the nation using its anti-globalist foreign policy to champion the causes which have resulted in the development of the Anti-World Congress strain.

Monkey See, Monkey Do; An influential factor in the demise of confidence in the World Congress.

As human beings our psychological nature is usually a contributing factor in our eventual downfall. Whether it might be our tendencies of Abstraction or Repetitiveness, human nature plays a crucial role in the development of the scourge. Throughout history, this phrase and its psychological tendencies has found its way into politics and conflict. This attributed to the fact that most conflict arise on the basis of "Because you declared war on him, I will declare war in a similar manner". Thus this tendency has been embedded into our behaviour, and it is no surprise that it has found itself as an influential factor in the growth of the scepticism in the World Congress. It could be said that since other nations have been championing the causes of World Congress scepticism, other nations seem to be obligated to follow in their footsteps and champion this same cause. Thus a trickling effect occurs as most persons believe that they are obligated to assist in peddling the scepticism when they have no solid basis for peddling the ideal in the first place.

Powers of the World Congress Security Council revised.

As previous discussed in an analysis conducted by Storolfur Arthursson on the Failures of the World Congress, it was highlighted that the Security Council's inability to exercise extraordinary powers as a means of enforcing their resolutions was an influential factor in its early demise. With respect to the rise of scepticism of the World Congress, this same factor can be applied to how scepticism was developed. The conglomerate of nations championing scepticism of the World Congress tend the cite the organisation's growing ability to act in the instance on wrong doing as a threat to their national sovereignty. This in return triggers various nations to push the idea that the World Congress is an omnipresent organisation aimed at destroying the fabric of a nation's identity and "sovereignty". Thus, the scepticism of the World Congress is peddled/fuelled.

Conclusion.The rise of scepticism of the World Congress cannot be blamed solely on one nation, but it can be blamed on all nations due to the fact that no nation contributed to derailing the growth/fostering of the idea. Once nations continue peddling the cause, scepticism of the World Congress will remain. All that it left to do is attempt at derailing its further development.

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The Útlendr | Development through Defence.How Influential is Dorvik?A Trond Henrichsen Institute for International Affairs case study.by Anas el-Rabbani

Since its formation underneath the banner of the Kingdom of Dorvik, the Dorvish Republic has wielded a dangerous influential clout, particularly in the areas of diplomacy, defence and economics, thus creating the impetus for the nation’s thrust onto the centre stage of influence on the Artanian continent and the greater northern hemisphere.

Politically, the Dorvish Republic exercises an uncontested influence within the Artanian continent. This is attributed to various factors such as the nation’s involvement in the formation of the Artanian Union and the fact that Dorvik is considered as a counterweight to hegemonic powers in the northern hemisphere such as the Trigunian Empire and the Federal Republic of Hutori. This counterweight influence serves as an instrument of the nation’s soft power, as many nations recognise the Dorvish Republic as realistic alternative to Hutori and Trigunia in the areas of trade and common defence. Its involvement in the formation of the Artanian Union has created the impetus for the nation’s position as the de-facto leader of political and economic unity on the Artanian Continent. However, due to the nation’s absenteeism in international dialogue and regional discord, the Dorvish Republic’s influence in the Artanian Union is gradually dwindling due to nationalist tendencies moving throughout the region.

Nonetheless, the nation wields various forms of political influence. Apart from the nation’s involvement in the development of Artanian Unionism, the nation has long championed the causes of peace and international security throughout the various international forums of discussion, including the World Congress. The nation’s position as a Security Council member has enabled it to expand its international presence as the nation is actively involved in the debates and discussion within the World Congress. Apart from obtaining soft power through the World Congress and its involvement in the AU, the nation is involved in a series of trade and common defence treaties between various nations, thus forming the image that Dorvik is the northern hemispheres most business friendly nation due to its internal laws on economics which have promoted common economic benefit since the period posterior to the Dorvish Reich. Due to the nation’s numerous oversees missions, the nation has benefited tremendously from a series of international agreements including the “Dorvish Embassy Diplomatic Relations Treaty” and the “Dorvish Trade Association and Economic Pact” which have promoted diplomacy and economic cooperation between the Dorvish Republic and twenty-one (21) nations respectively. Through the success of the nation's push for greater cooperation and openness with regional allies and transcontinental partners, the Dorvish Republic has earned its place as one of the most influential nations in history.

Though the nation wields a soft power clout of a great magnitude, it also wields a military might of untouchable proportions. Since its conception, the Dorvish Republic has been the figurehead of many nations as to how their military should be structured. Military strategists and philosophers such as Florian Aeschelman, Regismund Dietmar von Rohr-Mauss and Friedrich Augustus von Rohr-Mauss can be identified as influential figures in the development of military strategy and tactics throughout the world. The nation has maintained a highly competitive and extremely skilled armed forces, which lends to the nation's strategic superiority and effectiveness in combat. It is important to recognise the nation's use of militarism as a means of pushing diplomacy. For several decades, the nation had maintained military cooperation with nations such as the Federal Republic of Hutori, the Kingdom of Kazulia, the Celestial Empire of Indrala (now the State of Indrala) and the Kingdom of Vanuku through mutual defence agreements and collective partnerships on issues such as terrorism and international communism as a means of maintain the nation's highly respective military prowess.

In Conclusion, the Dorvish Republic can easily be considered as a powerhouse of influence in the northern hemisphere. However, its recent moves mirror that of a nation shifting towards an isolationist tendency, which would not favour well for the nation's respected influence. It is yet to be known whether this nation's influence will be taken from it by an emerging power in the northern hemisphere.

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For more than a decade the governments in Hitam and Nowogard have been making steady advances towards forming a closer relationship with each other on the basis of filling the power gap exposed posterior to the Narikaton-Malivian War. With the government in Hitam in search for a counterweight to the increasingly dominant Kingdom of Dorvik, the government in Nowogard introduced itself into the equation as the "necessary" counterweight which the government in Hitam has been searching far and wide for. Military cooperation between Malivia and Valruzia has indeed increased with the two paramount vectors being weapons purchases and "collective security". Since the conclusion of the Narikaton-Malivian War, the government in Hitam has been steadily rearming its armed forces and through assistance from Valruzia and Istalia, its rearmament and subsequent modernisation, although flawed is steaming on without interruption. One of Malivia's most recent acquisitions, the Phoenix anti-ballistic missile system. The most recent advances in cooperation between the two nations, which was reported to be in the interest of collective security, was much for show as it was to promote mutual respect and "friendliness" between the two nations. In a similar manner, the fact that previous calls for a counterweight to the Northern Council to be created and the formation of the Rakaya Union have coincided with advances within the Northern Council accentuates the political nature of Hitam and Nowogard's recent moves.

Superficial Cooperation and Collectivism: There is nothing under the hood.

It can be said that the recent developments between Hitam and Nowograd can be viewed as the steady development of a embryonic alliance between the two nations and in a similar manner it can viewed as a counterweight to other organisations mainly the Northern Council and the Artanian Union. And it can also be stated that both governments want the international community to gather that very perception, with the latter (it being a counterweight) being the connotative perspective. This can be seen in the discussion within the Malivian Parliament where a member (presumably the Foreign Minister) said: "Gentlemen and ladies it is time to cast out the corrupt and inefficient Artanian Union and make our way through the politics of the world." and where Government officials in Nowograd labelled the Northern Council as a dangerous and damaging military cartel, posterior to voicing the creation of a counterweight to the Northern Council. From the perspective of geopolitics, it can be deduced that the increased "cooperation" between Malivia and Valruzia and their subsequent adoption of the Rakaya Union agreement has a principle aim: Expansion. Both nations since the conclusion of the war have been making steady gains where it pertains to their armed forces. Increased weapons procurement and alignment with the Istalian Republic have been identified as positive vectors in this analysis. Although superficial cooperation is not basis for cooperation between the two nations, this is not to say that Malivia and Valruzia do not have some basis for cooperation. Both countries chafe at the extent and application of the Northern Council and its respective members in international politics. Both nations are land-based powers of considerable size whose access to the global economy can be significantly curtailed by the Northern Council in the event of conflict. From the perspective of sceptics and some commentators the Northern Council is uniquely suited to limit the ambitions of certain nations. For instance, Valruzia’s primary imperative is to extend its influence out to the Artanian continent. The Kingdom of Dorvik and in some cases, the Kingdom of Hutori is blocking Valruzia from achieving this. Malivia seeks to expand influence in Southern Artania and in some cases Northern Majatra. The Federal Republic of Kazulia, and the Kingdom of Vanuku stands in the way. Both nations share a quasi-common "opponent" thus a degree of cooperation can and does exist.

Conclusion.

These are surface-level affairs of convenience. Malivia and Valruzia challenge Northern Council power, security and interests to a degree. Although cooperation between the two nations may not be as clear as it needs to be, their drive towards achieving their paramount aims could either be rewarding or their undoing.

*This is part one of the story, as more event develop, I intend on releasing the entire thing. There are certain things i cannot analyse because personally more RP needs to happen in-order for a concise image to be created and subsequently portrayed to the reader. If there is anything you wish for me to change, please do contact me.